Monday, July 24, 2006
St. Bridget of Sweden


Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): July 23
III Class (1962 Calendar): October 8
Double (1954 Calendar): October 8

St. Bridget of Sweden was a member of the Franciscan Third Order for laypeople and was born 1303 and died July 23, 1373. Her mother was Birger Persson, governor and provincial judge (Lagman) of Uppland, and of Ingeborg Bengtsdotter, and her father was extremely affluent too. While St. Bridget was still unborn, her mother was saved from shipwreck for Bridget's sake.

St. Bridget received careful religious education and while seven years old, she displayed remarkable illuminations. At the age of 10, St. Brigid listened to a homily on Our Lord's passion. The next night she saw Jesus on the Cross covered with blood, and He spoke to her. This is one of her first visions from Jesus that she was privileged to receive throughout her life. St. Bridget could never speak of the Passion of Our Lord without tears.

In 1315 her mother died, so St. Bridget was cared for by her aunt. At the age of 13, she married Ulfo Gudmarsson, a prince of Nericia, and they had eight children, one of whom was St. Catherine of Sweden. Her husband was a very pious man. Over the years St. Bridget continued to grow in holiness and was soon well known far and wide. She educated children and cared for the poor and sick. St. Bridget even set apart a house for their reception. In an act of humility that we all can learn from, St. Bridget would wash their feet and even kiss them. Her humility recalls the humility of Jesus in washing the disciples feet.

In the early 1340's, Ulfo and Bridget journeyed to Compostella to visit the tomb of the apostle St. James, but during the journey her husband became gravely ill. St. Dionysius appeared to St. Bridget at night and foretold his recovery and other future events. Ulfo became a Cistercian monk. However, Ulfo soon became ill and died in 1344 in the Cistercian monastery of Alvastrâ.

After this, St. Bridget heard Christ calling her in a dream to live more austere life, so she devoted herself entirely to Christ. She founded the Order of the Most Holy Savior; she erected a double monastery for monks and nuns at Vadstena. Nearly the rest of her life was lived in Rome where she worked for the return of the Popes from Avignon. Upon her return from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, St. Bridget was struck by a fever and suffered from illness for a whole year. She died on July 23, 1373. Our Lord revealed the date of her death to her in a previous vision.

St. Bridget received many visions from Our Lord during her life. In one of these appearances, He revealed a set of prayers that would honor His injuries during the Crucifixion. The Lord said to her: "I received 5480 blows on My Body. If you wish to honor them in some way, say 15 Our Fathers and 15 Hail Marys with the following Prayers (which He taught her) for a whole year. When the year is up, you will have honored each one of My Wounds."

Promises

According to a publication that was published about the prayers, Our Lord made 21 promises to St. Bridget that He said apply to the one who recites the 15 prayer for a whole year. However, some of them may be against Church teachings. So, please don't say these prayers just for the promises. Say them to honor Our Lord's sufferings.

1. I will deliver 15 souls of his lineage from Purgatory.

2. 15 souls of his lineage will be confirmed and preserved in grace.

3. 15 sinners of his lineage will be converted.

4. Whoever recites these Prayers will attain the first degree of perfection.

5. 15 days before his death I will give him My Precious Body in order that he may escape eternal starvation; I will give him My Precious Blood to drink lest he thirst eternally.

6.15 days before his death he will feel a deep contrition for all his sins and will have a perfect knowledge of them.

7.I will place before him the sign of MY Victorious Cross for his help and defense against the attack!

8. Before his death I shall come with My Dearest Beloved Mother.

9. I shall graciously receive his soul, and will lead it into eternal joys.

10. And having led it there I shall give him a special draught from the fountain of My Deity, something I will not for those who have not recited My Prayers.

11. Let it be known that whoever may have been living in a state of mortal sin for 30 years, but who will recite devoutly, or have the intention to recite these Prayers, the Lord will forgive him all his sins.

12. I shall protect him from strong temptations.

13. I shall preserve and guard his 5 senses.

14. I shall preserve him from a sudden death.

15. His soul will be delivered from eternal death.

16. He will obtain all he asks for from God and the Blessed Virgin.

17. If he has lived all his life doing his own will and he is to die the next day, his life will be prolonged.

18. Every time one recites these Prayers he gains 100 days indulgence.

19. He is assured of being joined to the supreme Choir of Angels.

20. Whoever teaches these Prayers to another, will have continuous joy and merit which will endure eternally.

21. There where these Prayers are being said or will be said in the future God is present with His grace.

Private Revelation

Like all private revelation since the death of the Last of the Apsotles, these visions and promises do not have to be believed by anyone. The Church, in her authority, declares them worthy of belief, but a Catholic does not have to believe them in order to remain a Catholic.

Pope Benedict XV said:

"The approbation of such revelations implies nothing more than, after mature examination, it is permissible to publish them for the unit of the faithful. Though they don't merit the same credence as the truths of religion, one can, however, believe them out of human faith, conforming to the rules of prudence by which they are probable, and supported by sufficient motives that one might believe in them piously."

10 comment(s):

del_button July 25, 2006 at 8:48 AM
tlwest said...

I think I might say these as I am looking for a deeper prayer life right now. Thanks for ther info and links! I changed my health blog over to Epiphany of Faith Blog to record my conversion experiences. Dont have much on it yet May I reprint this prayer and info on mine? God Bless :)

del_button July 25, 2006 at 9:28 AM
Michael said...

I hope you have better luck than I MB. I tried to say these prayers last year and got to day 2 before giving up.. then a few weeks ago I again tried to say them and got to day 3 before giving up... LOL!

The devil tempts me too much.

J-M-J

del_button July 25, 2006 at 1:20 PM
Matthew said...

Tlwest,

Please do post these on your blog and get the word out about these prayers.

St. Michael, thanks for the warning. I haven't started yet, but I'm going to soon, and I'll try my best. I've been praying the Liturgy of the Hours a lot now since I bought a LOTH prayer book finally.

del_button July 25, 2006 at 2:22 PM
tlwest said...

JMJ LOL well I shall try I think if I do it every morning first thing I will have better luck. I have changed my ways and now read the NAB readings every day. I am encouraged as I have been contemplating the fact of how long I have been in sin as a non catholic-- without confession etc... so once again my prayers have been answered. Thank you moneybags I shall! Odd that this woman died on my sister's birthday - the one that professed to be agnostic and married to a Catholic...

del_button July 28, 2006 at 1:34 PM
RobKPhD said...

You inspired me to start this 5 days and counting, and will keep it up (God willing). They are beautiful prayers.

Just an FYI, the Church does not endorse the promises, and some of them may be counter to Church teaching. Check out http://www.cmri.org/07-magnificent.html

del_button July 28, 2006 at 1:44 PM
Matthew said...

THANK YOU for that information, RobK. I added a note and that link to the original post.

del_button March 5, 2010 at 11:38 PM
RoslynCT said...

Hello Matthew, these prayers are beautiful and have 'saved' me. I used to suffer from temptation and troubles but after I began saying the 15 Prayers of St Bridget, the temptations just fell away from my life. Malice was uncovered and truth unveiled. I am in the last month of my one year of saying these prayers. I cannot say it was easy but I will say it is worthwhile and I will never stop saying them.

I am surprised that not many know of these prayers... they have amazing mystical effects.

del_button July 23, 2010 at 4:18 PM
Anonymous said...

I couldn't find better prayer. I said them for one year I can say that I have received so many graces from the such as the first degrees of perfection.

Dominique

del_button October 15, 2012 at 11:51 PM
Anonymous said...

Kindly pray for all my intentions.Especially for my healing of blood
sugar,weakness of my body,knee pain,constipation and other physical
sickness which I have .Pray to solve all my financial problems and to
get my share of my father's property.Also for a very good job.For
protection from my enemies.For guidance in my relation with Baby,Moidu
and TNK and Ajith.For my deliverance from bondages and aflictions from powers of darkness from all evil spirits and curses.

Thank you,

Mary Agnes India

del_button May 10, 2016 at 7:36 PM
Anonymous said...

I want to share with all that I was first introduced to the 15 prayers of St. Bridget and yes, it is hard to be disciplined and say them for one complete year. However,I want to share that I believe that the key here is to be humble and ask God's help for the perseverance and devotion to say them complete for the whole period of time and also not to be discouraged if one fails several times, I encourage everyone to try again as many times as needed. Also, sometimes I divided the prayer during the day,5 prayers in the morning then 5 during the day and 5 at night. I remember that I prayed them again when I received a threatening dignose on my health, and since then (2004) I kept on praying St. Bridget's prayers and I have never been so sick that there has been one day that I cannot say St. Bridget's prayers. I also recommend the 12 year prayer dedicated to the Most precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you all.

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